Genetic differences exist among individual animals as well as among breeds which can be exploited by breeding techniques to achieve animals with desirable characteristics. For example, Chinese pig breeds are known for reaching puberty at an early age and for their large litter size, while American breeds are known for their greater growth rates and leanness. Often, however, heritability for desired traits is low, and standard breeding methods which select individuals based upon phenotypic variations do not take fully into account genetic variability or complex gene interactions which exist.
There is a continuing need for an approach that deals with selection for disease resistance at the cellular or DNA level. This method will provide the ability to genetically evaluate animals and to enable breeders to more accurately select those animals which not only phenotypically express desirable traits but those which express favorable underlying genetic criteria. This has largely been accomplished to date by marker-assisted selection.
RFLP analysis has been used by several groups to study pig DNA. Jung et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 77:271–274 (1989), incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of RFLP techniques to show genetic variability between two pig breeds. Polymorphism was demonstrated for swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) Class I genes in these breeds. Hoganson et al., Abstract for Annual Meeting of Midwestern Section of the American Society of Animal Science, Mar. 26–28, 1990, incorporated herein by reference, reports on the polymorphism of swine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes for Chinese pigs, also demonstrated by RFLP analysis. Jung et al. Animal Genetics, 26:79–91 (1989), incorporated herein by reference, reports on RFLP analysis of SLA Class I genes in certain boars. The authors state that the results suggest that there may be an association between swine SLA/MHC Class I genes and production and performance traits. They further state that the use of SLA Class I restriction fragments, as genetic markers, may have potential in the future for improving pig growth performance.
The ability to follow a specific favorable genetic allele involves a novel and lengthy process of the identification of a DNA molecular marker for a major effect gene. The marker may be linked to a single gene with a major effect or linked to a number of genes with additive effects. DNA markers have several advantages; segregation is easy to measure and is unambiguous, and DNA markers are co-dominant, i.e., heterozygous and homozygous animals can be distinctively identified. Once a marker system is established, selection decisions could be made very easily, since DNA markers can be assayed any time after a tissue or blood sample can be collected from the individual infant animal, or even an embryo.
The use of genetic differences in receptor genes has become a valuable marker system for selection. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,024 and 5,374,526, issued to Rothschild et al., disclose a polymorphism in the pig estrogen receptor gene which is associated with larger litter size, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,784 discloses polymorphic markers in the pig prolactin receptor gene which are associated with larger litter size and overall reproductive efficiency, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention provides a genetic markers, based upon the discovery of a polymorphisms in the porcine BPI gene, which correlate with resistance or susceptibility to pathogenic infection in pigs. This will permit genetic typing of pigs for their BPI allele and for determination of the relationship of specific RFLPs to resistance to infection. It will also permit the identification of individual males and females that carry the gene for improved resistance. Thus, the markers may be selection tools in breeding programs to develop lines and breeds that produce litters containing more resistant offspring. Also disclosed are novel porcine BPIP genomic sequences, as well as primers for assays to identify the presence or absence of marker alleles.
According to the invention a polymorphism was identified in the BPI gene which is associated with the improved resistance to pathogenic infection.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of screening pigs to determine those more likely to produce offspring with improved pathogenic resistance, in the BPI gene.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for identifying genetic markers for improved disease resistance.
A further object of the invention is to provide genetic markers for selection and breeding to obtain pigs that will be expected to have a lower susceptibility to infection than those without the favorable allele.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a kit for evaluating a sample of pig DNA for specific genetic markers of disease resistance.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be attained by means of the instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.